Zephire et Flore

Description

This is a digital reproduction of the 1688 libretto of the opera "Zephire et Flore" by Michel Du Boullay. The music of the opera is attributed to Louis and Jean-Louis Lully, sons of Jean-Baptiste Lully. It was performed for the first time on March 22, 1688 at the Palais Royale in Paris.

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Description

This is a digital reproduction of the 1688 libretto of the opera "Zephire et Flore" by Michel Du Boullay. The music of the opera is attributed to Louis and Jean-Louis Lully, sons of Jean-Baptiste Lully. It was performed for the first time on March 22, 1688 at the Palais Royale in Paris.

Physical Description

52 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.

Notes

Full title as it appears on the title page: "Zephire et Flore, opera. Representé par l'Academie Royale de Musique."

Notes

The plot, which Du Boullay based on Greek mythology, starts with Borée's lamenting not having won over Flore's love. When Zephire, his rival, enters and speaks aloud of his secret love for Flore, a confrontation ensues between both suitors and Cloris interrupts the heated dispute. Borée asserts that Flore cannot love Zephire, and asks that they call on Cybele to mediate the situation.

Flore appears after Borée departs and reassures Zephire that she knows his love is a thousand times stronger than Borée's. Meanwhile, Clytie, who is in love with the Sun, thinks Flore is her rival and because of her jealousy, the Sun chastises and banishes her. Flore is told to seek refuge in the forest. Zephire is told to take to the skies and learn the ways of the gods if he is to achieve his goal of having Flore.

Banished in a forest, Clytie is outraged blaming her situation to the Sun's loving Flore. A celebration passes by and Borée tells the celebrants of his long search for Flore, whom he loves. Clytie, who has been hiding throughout Borée's discourse, reveals herself. The two rejected lovers find they have much in common and Borée carries Clytie to Thrace in order to execute their vengeance.

Borée, who abducted Flore into a cave, bids her to look at the vastness of his empire which he is willing to give to her if she accepts him as her lover. Flore pretends to soften in order to escape, but Borée recognizes her duplicity and chastises her. Clytie enters and accuses Flore of stealing the Sun away from her and reveals she is there to exact her revenge. Flore assures Clytie that she loves Zephire, not the Sun. And as Zephire enters to informs Flore that Jupiter approved of their love, Clytie, realizes her mistake and cries out for death to alleviate her embarrassing suffering. While Zephire and Flore sing of their love, Borée tries to destroy Zephire, but the Sun intercedes and tells Zephire and Flore that Jupiter will transport them away to protect them from Borée. Flore asks Zephire if his heart will accept her now, though she did not accept him before. Zephire answers yes and they swear eternal allegiance to each other.

Collections

This book is part of the following collection of related materials.

Virtual Music Rare Book Room

The Virtual Music Rare Book Room is composed primarily of digitized materials held in the UNT Music Library's Edna Mae Sandborn Music Rare Book Room. The collection is particularly strong in eighteenth-century French opera, due in large part to the influence of musicologist Lloyd Hibberd on the development of the collection.

This book contains a collection of librettos for ballets, tragedies and opera staged for Louis XIV from ca. 1680-1691. The works reflect the collaboration of Jean-Baptiste Lully and dance masters and librettists in the court of Louis XIV.
The following French dramatic works are included in the collection: Le triomphe de l'amour; Coronis; Isis; Amadis; Phaeton; Proserpine; Zephire et Flore; Thetis et Pelée; Enée et Lavinie; Astrée; and Roland.